What is encapsulation in Ruby OOP?

What is encapsulation in Ruby OOP?

Encapsulation is a fundamental concept in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) that restricts access to certain components of an object. In Ruby, it allows you to hide the internal state of an object and only expose a controlled interface.

Can you give me an example of encapsulation in Ruby?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

class BankAccount
  def initialize(balance)
    @balance = balance
  end

  def deposit(amount)
    @balance += amount
  end

  def withdraw(amount)
    if amount <= @balance
      @balance -= amount
    else
      puts 'Insufficient funds!'
    end
  end

  def check_balance
    @balance
  end
end

In this example, the @balance variable is encapsulated within the BankAccount class, and can only be accessed through the methods provided.

Why is encapsulation important?

Encapsulation is important because it helps to protect the internal state of an object from unintended interference and misuse. It promotes modularity and maintainability, making it easier to manage and update code.

How does encapsulation differ from inheritance?

Encapsulation focuses on restricting access to an object's internal state, while inheritance allows a class to inherit properties and methods from another class. They serve different purposes in OOP.